Adjustable drilling mast having spaced swivel and traveling block guides



3,376,938 IVEL AND P. J SCOTT E DRILLING MAST HAVING SPACED SW April 9, 1968 ADJUSTABL TRAVELING BLOCK GUIDES Filed May 23, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 A In Pau/ JJtafl INVEAVTOR I M, b ggzwmf JYTORNEY April 9, 1968 ADJUSTABLE DRILLING P. J. SCOTT TRAVELING BLOCK GUIDES MAST HAVING SPACED SWIVEL AND 5 Sheets-Sheet).

Pau/ J. J60 f2 IVVEAVTOR LIL-M ATTORVE Y April 9, 1968 P J, SCOTT 3,376,938

ADJUSTABLE DRILLING MAST HAVING SPACED SWIVEL AND v TRAVELING BLOCK GUIDES Filed May 25, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 8 United States Patent 3,376,938 ADJUSTABLE DRILLING MAST HAVING SPACED SWIVEL AND TRAVELING BLOCK GUIDES Paul J. Scott, Shreveport, La., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Hycalog, Inc., a corporation of California Filed May 23, 1966, Ser. No. 552,039 8 Claims. (Cl. 173-44) This invention relates to a m'ast assembly for use in conjunction with the drilling, workover and completion of oil and other wells wherein a pipe elevator and a swivel are carried by the mast in such a manner that they are usable alternately and independently of each other.

In conventional drilling rigs, the drill string is supported by a rotary swivel and travelling block during the drilling operations. Thus, the swivel is connected to a kelly from which the drill string depends and a turntable at the derrick floor is used to rotate the kelly with drilling fluid being pumped through the swivel and down through the kelly into the drill string. When it is necessary to make a round trip, such as to replace a bit, the swivel and kelly are laid to one side and an elevator is connected to the travelling block.

For several reasons, including conservation of mast height, it has been suggested that a power swivel be supported in the mast for vertical movement and that it be connected directly to the upper end of the drill string thereby eliminating both the kelly and, the turntable. This permits a reduction in mast height by approximately the length of the kelly which normally is approximately as long as a length of drill pipe. However, in such situations, it has been necessary to round trip the drill string by using the power swivel to pull and run the pipe which is not only time consuming due to the fact that the swivel must be threaded and unthreaded from each joint of pipe as it is removed or ran into the hole but also because normally only a single stand of pipe can be pulled or run at one time.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a mast assembly which uses a power swivel for rotating the pipe during the actual drilling operation and which also has a separate elevator which can be used to pull or run pipe during around trip thereby decreasing the time for the trip.

Another object is to provide a mast of this type which can handle longer stands of pipe during a round trip than the swivel can during the drilling operations thereby even further decreasing the round trip time. For example, if the mast can handle only singles during drilling, it is possible for it to handle doubles during a round trip thereby decreasing to one-half the number of joints which must be made up or broken out, the number of stands which must be racked, etc.

Another object is to provide such a mast assembly in which an elevator and a swivel are guided along separate paths in the mast for independent but substantially parallel movement therein and yet each can be aligned with the center line of the hole being drilled by a simple manipulation of the mast.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon the consideration of the specification, the claims and the attached drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a mast assembly embodying this invention with the mast being positioned so that the swivel is in operative position;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the mast of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a fragmentary illustration of a track and roller arrangement for guiding the swivel;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 except showing the mast in position for use of the pipe elevator; and

FIG. 4 is an isometric view of the crown of the mast.

Like characters of reference will be used throughout the several views to designate like parts.

Referring to the drawings, a base is provided to carry a draw works 11 and other auxiliary drilling equipment as desired. A mast 12 is carried by the base for movement between two positions as will be explained more fully below. Thus, the mast can be pivoted by a suitable pivoting arrangement 13 to the base and supported in part by a stiff leg 14. Suitable guy lines (not shown) can also be used to stabilize the mast. The mast is of the open-faced type in the sense that the front 15 of the mast has no cross bracing and is open so that pipe can be swung sidewise into the interior of the mast. The necessary cross bracing can be at the sides and rear of the mast.

A swivel, preferably a power swivel 16, is provided in the mast for vertical movement along a predetermined path. The power swivel can be of conventional construction and includes a pin-ended sub 17 for connection with the drill string, the pin being rotatable by a suitable motor (not shown).

Means are provided for limiting sidewise movement of the swivel and this can be a pair of tracks engageable by the swivel and extending along the path of travel of the swivel. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2A, a pair of channel members 18 can be provided on each side of the mast to be engaged by rollers carried by the power swivel, one of which is shown at '19 in FIG. 2A. In

this manner the power swivel is sidewise in any lateral direction. 7

A pipe elevator 20 adapted to engage a joint of pipe or a string thereof to raise and lower the same is likewise provided in the mast 12. Preferably, it is also guided in the mast by tracks 21 located on either side of the mast and constructed in the same manner as the tracks 18, as illustrated in FIG. 2A. In this manner the elevator can be raised and lowered alon'g track 21 while preventing it from swinging sidewise in any direction. When the elevator is to be used to raise a stand of pipe of a length such that it can grip the upper end of the pipe string and raise the stand so that the threaded joint at the lower end of the stand is above the base 10, the elevator can be of any desired construction. However, when it is desired to raise stands of pipe which are longer than the mast, the elevator should be of the open face type such as that shown in the US. patent to Minor, 2,734,718.

Means are provided for moving the elevator and the power swivel along their respective paths, i.e., along their respective tracks. This means can include a suitable crown block and travelling block arrangement. Thu's travelling blocks 2-2 and 23 respectively carry swivel 1-6 and elevator 20. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the crown block 24 can be provided with two sets of swivel crown sheaves 25 and 25a which are reeved to corresponding sheaves in the travelling block 22 in a conventional manner by cable 26, a portion 26a of which extends as a fast line from the crown block to the draw works 11. Two sets prevented from moving of elevator crown sheaves 27 and 27a are likewise provided in the crown block along with a transverse elevator sheave 28. These sheaves can be reeved to the sheaves in travelling block 23 by cable 2% which has a portion 29a extending as a fast line to draw-works 11, that is, to a second drum on the draw-works so that the two fast lines 26a and 29a can be operated independently of each other. The reeving of the crown block and the travelling block 23 can be in any conventional manner but when the open-face or slotted travelling block is to be used, the reeving should follow the scheme shown in the US. patent to Patterson, 2,742,260.

Means are provided for tilting the mast, or moving it, between two positions. In one position, the mast will be as in FIG. 1 with the path of movement of the swivel in vertical alignment with the center-line 30 of a borehole in the earth. This permits the swivel to operate without exerting bending stresses on the drill string. The mast is also movable so that the path of travel of the elevator 20 is moved from its out-of-alignment position shown in FIG. 1 into alignment with the center line of the borehole as shown in FIG. 3. The means for moving the mast between these two positions can comprise a hydraulic cylinder and piston arrangement 31 for moving the stiff leg 14 between its FIG. 1 and FIG. 3 position.

With this arrangement, it will be seen that when the mast is in its FIG. .1 position, the power swivel can operate in its intended manner. However, when it is desired to make a round trip of the drill string, the hydraulic piston-cylinder arrangement 31 is actuated to move the mast to its FIG. 3 position. Then after the power swivel has been moved to an out-of-way position at the upper end of the mast as shown in FIG. 3, the elevator is in position to move the pipe vertically into and out of the hole.

When it is desired to use the elevators to pull stands of pipe which are longer than the effective travel distance of the elevator in the mast, the crown block is provided with a suitable opening 32 through which a stand of pipe, a section of which is shown at 33, can extend to be above the mast and, after the stand has been disconnected from the remainder of the drill string, swung into racking position in a pipe rack 34 at the upper end of the mast. In order to swing the pipe out of the mast, it is picked up by a hydraulic gib clamp illustrated in FIG. 4. This gib clamp has a pipe clamp 35, adapted to be placed about the pipe so that when raised upwardly, it will grip the pipe and support it. The clamp 35 is carried by a boom arrangement comprising hydraulic cylinders 36 and 37, the former having piston rod 38 carrying the clamp 35 and the latter a piston rod 39 carrying the cylinder 36. With this arrangement, a man working on the rack can swing the hydraulic gib around and engage clamp 35 with a pipe while it is still in the opening 32. Then by suitable manipulation of hydraulic pressure controls (not shown), he can apply pressure to cylinder 37 causing piston 39 to raise, thereby raising the stand of pipe. He can also move the stand laterally into proper position for racking in pipe rack 34 by suitable application of hydraulic pressure to cylinder 36. Similarly, when going into the hole, he can apply clamp 35 to a stand of pipe in the rack, raise it with cylinder 37, swing it around manually and adjust its lateral position with piston 36.

Thus, the operation when making a round trip and coming out of the hole is to first set slips (not shown) on the pipe at the derrick floor to support the pipe in the hole. The swivel is then released from the drill string and moved up outof the way to the upper part of the mast as shown in FIG. 3. The mast is then tilted from its FIG. 1 to its FIG. 3 position. Thereafter the elevator is moved down to latch onto the upper end of the drill string to move it up until the pipe joint at the lower end of the first length of drill pipe is above the slips, after which the latter are set. The elevator is again lowered to latch onto the pipe below the joint just above the slips and the stand is raised until a second joint clears the slips after which the latter are set. The elevator can then be slacked off slightly to permit the pipe to turn in it and the joint just above the slips broken out to free the stand. It is then picked up by the hydraulic gib clamp, raised and swung over into the piping rack. This cycle of operation is repeated until all of the drill pipe is out of the hole.

In going into the hole, the reverse procedure is followed.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcom'binations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1. Well apparatus comprising a base, a mast, means mounting the mast on said base for movement of the mast between a first and a second position to respectively align first and second mast axes with the center line of a bore hole in the earth; a pipe elevator adapted to engage a pipe and move it up and down; a swivel adapted to be connected to the upper end of a pipe string to support the same and to conduct fluid to or from the pipe string as the latter is rotated; means for moving the elevator and swivel respectively along the first and second mast axes; and means for moving the mast between its first and second positions so that the pipe elevator and swivel can alternately be positioned in alignment with the center line of a bore hole.

2. The apparatus of claim '1 wherein means are included for limiting sidewise movement of each of the swivel and elevator so as to confine their movement to be along said axes respectively.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said limiting means comprise two pairs of tracks carried by the mast, and means carried by each of the elevator and swivel to engage a respective pair of the tracks and limit movement of the elevator and swivel to be vertically along the respective pairs of said tracks.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said swivel is a power swivel having a motor for revolving any pipe connected to the swivel.

5. The mast of claim 1 wherein said means for moving the elevator and swivel include at least two sheaves carried by the mast on an upper portion thereof; and two cables respectively connecting the sheaves with the elevator and swivel.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mast mounting means is a pivoted connection between the mast and base so that the mast is tiltable between said first and second positions.

7. Well apparatus comprising a base, a mast pivotally mounted on the base for tilting movement between first and second positions; a pipe elevator adapted to engage a pipe and move it up or down; means mounting the elevator on the mast for movement along a path which is in alignment with the center line of a bore hole in the earth when the mast is in its first position; a swivel adapted to be connected to the upper end of a pipe string to support the same and to conduct fluid to or from the P pe string as the latter is rotated; means mounting the swivel in the mast for movement along a path which is diiferent from the elevator path and which is in alignment with the center line of a bore hole when the mast is in its second position; means for moving the elevator and swivel along their respective paths independently of each other; and means for movin the mast between its first and second positions.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said swivel is a power swivel having a motor for revolving any pipe connected to the swivel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 970,880 9/1910 Bouchet 175-203 X 2,187,392 1/1940 Chappell 214-25 X 3,280,920 10/1966 Scott 17344 3,340,938 9/1967 Wilson 17344 X ERNEST R. PURSER, Primary Examiner. 

1. WELL APPARATUS COMPRISING A BASE, A MAST MEANS MOUNTING THE MAST ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT OF THE MAST BETWEEN A FIRST AND A SECOND POSITION TO RESPECTIVELY ALIGN FIRST AND SECOND MAST AXES WITH THE CENTER LINE OF A BORE HOLE IN THE EARTH; A PIPE ELEVATOR ADAPTED TO ENGAGE A PIPE AND MOVE IT UP AND DOWN; A SWIVEL ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO THE UPPER END OF A PIPE STRING TO SUPPORT THE SAME AND TO CONDUCT FLUID TO OR FROM THE PIPE STRING AS THE LATTER IS ROTATED; MEANS FOR MOVING THE ELE- 